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March 29, 2024

Ontario Federation of Agriculture calls for halt of expansion of wind turbine plans –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On January 16, 2014

ONTARIO, CAN. (ECWd) –
This article comes from the Manitoulin Expositor and is relevant here in Illinois:
GUELPH—Escalating concerns about industrial wind turbines has prompted the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) to urge the province of Ontario to suspend further development until farm families and rural residents are assured that their interests are adequately protected.
The OFA unveiled its strong stance in a new position statement on industrial wind turbines that will be presented to government later this month.
Since 2007, when the development of industrial wind turbines began in Ontario, the OFA has worked with government on regulations, cautioned farmer members on the pitfalls of wind leases and expressed concerns about pricing. Many of these issues have not been addressed, the OFA states in a release, causing tremendous tension among rural residents and community neighbours.
“We are hearing very clearly from our members that the wind turbine situation is coming to a head, seriously dividing rural communities and even jeopardizing farm succession planning,” said OFA President Mark Wales. “The onus is on our provincial government to ensure the interests of rural Ontarians are protected. OFA is speaking up to clearly outline the issues that must be addressed right now.”
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4 Comments
  • ECWDogs
    Posted at 10:40h, 16 January

    Ontario Federation of Agriculture calls for halt of expansion of wind turbine plans – http://t.co/CoKE2KrLuh

  • Mike Barnard
    Posted at 08:18h, 17 January

    Lots of disinformation is being fed to the OFA apparently. For some leavening facts instead of inaccurate implications:
    Wind energy is now cheaper than any form of new generation except shale gas according the International Energy Agency, Bloomberg Financial and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. http://barnardonwind.com/2013/02/18/how-effective-are-wind-turbines-compared-to-other-sources-of-energy/
    Wind farms don’t require any more backup than coal or nuclear plants do until they are supplying a very large percentage energy, and when wind energy drops, it’s predictable and minor, unlike major transmission or generation failures. No new backup generation needs to be built; it already exists and wind energy is displacing it. http://barnardonwind.com/2013/02/24/how-much-backup-does-a-wind-farm-require-how-does-that-compare-to-conventional-generation/
    Wind farms are cost effective and predictable sources of power despite variable winds; that’s why there are 240,000 world wide providing clean, safe, dependable electricity today. http://barnardonwind.com/2013/02/15/the-wind-doesnt-blow-all-the-time-doesnt-this-make-wind-power-ineffective/
    Induced currents is pseudoscience BS, pure and simple. What concerns exist around poorly grounded power have nothing to with wind energy. The OFA should stop listening to anti-wind cranks on this subject.
    Wind farms don’t harm human health, anti-wind campaigners do. 19 reviews world wide of all of the available research and complaints by credible, independent groups have cleared wind farms of health impacts. Meanwhile, studies in the UK, Australia and New Zealand point the finger at anti-wind lobbyists spreading health fears and jacking up stress. http://barnardonwind.com/2013/02/17/wind-farms-dont-make-people-sick-so-why-the-complaints/
    Frankly, farmers are pragmatic and data-oriented people. The organization that represents them should be too. It’s a pity that they are giving into a-scientific hysteria from a minority.

    • caseih 2388
      Posted at 19:31h, 18 January

      Mike, I was reading with interest what you said until you got to the part about affecting human health. Then you lost all credibility. Since I live in the shadow of a wind farm and experience sleep deprivation which is a proven health hazard, I do know of what I speak. So I now assume the rest of what you said also has no credibility. I’m not sure, but it seems you surf the web and post this disinformation wherever you find the opportunity. I think I’ve read this type of propaganda before from you. And wherever you post you are proven wrong by people who are educated on wind energy.

  • Theodore P. Hartke, PE, PLS
    Posted at 22:37h, 18 January

    Mr. Barnard at it, “spinning” as usual. Congratulations Watch Dogs! You’ve made the big time if “famous” Mr. Barnard has decided your website deserves one of his ridiculous posts. His pro-wind propaganda rants litter the comments section of any article he can find that sheds light on the dark underbelly of Big Wind. Mr. B-I’ll ask you as many others have in other forums-how close is the nearest turbine to your home? A simple review of the research findings from researchers NOT receiving funding by Big Wind illustrates the glaring bias in your comments. For instance-“Wind farms don’t harm human health, anti-wind campaigners do.” The adverse health effects suffered by families living near industrial wind turbines are well-documented by multiple researchers and these findings are further supported by the expanding body of complaints and lawsuits from the ever-growing population of individuals forced to live near wind projects. Further support of the adverse health effects caused by turbines: when ordering the immediate shutdown of the turbines in Falmouth 12 hrs/day in an attempt to protect nearby residents, a judge noted that turbines cause irreparable physical and psychological harm (see http://www.wind-watch.com). As someone who lives surrounded by these 495’ tall noisy, flicker-inducing, sleep-depriving, health damaging, monstrous industrial machines, my family and many other families within Invenergy’s California Ridge project are living proof of the harm wind farms do the rural residents within the footprint of an industrial wind project. Learn more of the truth about Industrial Wind and life in the California Ridge project at http://www.fairwindenergy.org.

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